Strategies for safe management of hospital wastewater during the COVID-19 pandemic

Management of hospital wastewater is a challenging task, particularly during the situations like coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The hospital effluent streams are likely to contain many known and unknown contaminants including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) along with a variety of pollutants arising from pharmaceuticals, life-style chemicals, drugs, radioactive species, and human excreta from the patients. The effluents are a mixed bag of contaminants with some of them capable of infecting through contact. Hence, it is essential to identify appropriate treatment strategies for hospital waste streams. In this work, various pollutants emerging in the context of COVID-19 are examined. A methodical review is conducted on the occurrence and disinfection methods of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. An emphasis is given to the necessity of addressing the challenges of handling hospital effluents dynamically involved during the pandemic scenario to ensure human and environmental safety. A comparative evaluation of disinfection strategies makes it evident that the non-contact methods like ultraviolet irradiation, hydrogen peroxide vapor, and preventive approaches such as the usage of antimicrobial surface coating offer promise in reducing the chance of disease transmission. These methods are also highly efficient in comparison with other strategies. Chemical disinfection strategies such as chlorination may lead to further disinfection byproducts, complicating the treatment processes. An overall analysis of various disinfection methods is presented here, including developing methods such as membrane technologies, highlighting the merits and demerits of each of these processes. Finally, the wastewater surveillance adopted during the COVID-19 outbreak is discussed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13762-023-04803-1.

Historical and current occurrence of microplastics in water and sediment of a Finnish lake affected by WWTP effluents

Only scarce information is available about the abundance of microplastics (MPs) in Nordic lakes. In this study, the occurrence, types, and distribution of MPs were assessed based on the lake water and sediment samples collected from a sub-basin of Lake Saimaa, Finland. The main goal was to estimate the possible effect of the local wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) on the abundance of MPs in different compartments of the recipient lake area. Collected bottom sediment samples were Cs-137 dated and the chronological structure was utilized to relate the concentrations of MPs to their sedimentation years. Raman microspectroscopy was used for the MPs' identification from both sample matrices. In addition, MPs consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) were quantified from lake water samples by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to provide a complementary assessment of MPs based on two different analysis methods, which provide different metrics of the abundance of microplastics. MPs concentrations were highest in sediment samples closest to the discharge site of WWTP effluents (4400 ± 620 n/kg dw) compared to other sites. However, such a trend was not found in lake water samples (0.7 ± 0.1 n/L). Overall, microplastic fibers were relatively more abundant in sediment (70%) than in water (40%), and the majority of detected microplastic fibers were identified as polyester. This indicates that a part of textile fibers passing the WWTP processes accumulate in the sediment close to the discharge site. In addition, the abundance of MPs was revealed to have increased slightly during the last 30 years.

Microplastics pollution in the Brahmaputra River and the Indus River of the Indian Himalaya

Rivers act as temporary sinks of microplastics and a key medium allowing microplastics to enter the ocean. In this study, microplastics pollution in river shore sediment of the Indian Himalaya, including the Brahmaputra River and the Indus River was discussed. Sampling campaigns were performed in years 2018 and 2019. Sample pretreatment was performed using Na₂WO₄·2H₂O for density separation and H₂O₂ for oxidation of organic material. Microplastics analysis was performed by using FTIR microscope. The smaller size of microplastics 20-150 μm were more abundant (531-3485 MP/kg in the Brahmaputra River and 525-1752 MP/kg in the Indus River) than microplastics in size range between 150 μm and 5 mm (20-240 MP/kg in the Brahmaputra River and 60-340 MP/kg in the Indus River). Microplastics were found in sediments of all sampling sites. Fragmented, secondary microplastics were dominant in the river shore sediment of the Indian Himalaya. This study contributes towards filling research gap of microplastics in India's freshwater source and highlights the importance of in-depth complete studies of microplastics in the rivers that act as pathways and sinks for microplastics.

Micro/nano-machines for spilled-oil cleanup and recovery: A review

High-efficiency, safe and economically viable nano-engineered platforms for oil spill cleanup and recovery are of great importance. This review takes account of the concept of nanomotors and micromotors and their most advancements in use for oil spill treatment. The fundamental facets of artificial micro- and nano-machines/nanobots/nanomotors (MNMs) are first documented, followed by the most recent influencing developments in chemical engineering approaches toward their specific utilizations. The surface chemistry of these MNMs, their behaviors in different water matrices and their roles in the removal of oil are examined, revealing great rooms for improvement. The strategies for surface and structural modification of these tiny machines toward enhancing their reactivity in the removal of oil and coupled tasking are discussed in details, highlighting the significance of fit-for-duty design and tailored fabrication. The engineering limitations and practical implementation barriers of this emerging technology and how it can be overcome are also considered. Finally, some engineering boundaries and perspectives of this fast-evolving field are proposed at the end.

Novel adsorptive PVC nanofibrous/thiol-functionalized TNT composite UF membranes for effective dynamic removal of heavy metal ions

The development of efficient strategies for the removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions is rapidly demanded as these contaminants are very toxic and carcinogenic and show detrimental effects on the living creatures. The main focus of the current study is on the preparation and assessment of electrospun adsorptive nanofiber membranes for the removal of toxic Ni(II) and Cu(II) from wastewater in the ultrafiltration process. Hydrothermally synthesized titanate nanotubes (TNT) was modified with thiol functional groups and then directly incorporated to the polyvinyl chloride nanofiber matrices via electrospinning process to fabricate an adsorptive membrane. The as-prepared electrospun nanofiber membranes and the nanoadsorbents were characterized with respect to the physiochemical properties, surface structure and morphology, applying XPS, FTIR, FESEM, EDX and TEM analysis and then, the membranes were evaluated in terms of the removal of the heavy metal ions in a continuous ultrafiltration mode. In adsorptive filtration of the metal ions, the effective factors including nanoadsorbents loading (0.5-1.5 wt%), initial metal ion concentration (60-150 mg/L), feed temperature (~25 °C-45 °C), presence of competing ion and reusability were investigated in the UF system where the membranes containing 1.5 wt% thiol-modified TNT and virgin TNT adsorbents demonstrated excellent removal efficiency compared to the other membranes. The Cu(II) and Ni(II) removal efficiency of the membrane containing 1.5 wt% functionalized TNT was 90% and 86.7%, respectively which was the highest ones. As was expected and due to the uniform dispersion and less aggregation of the modified TNT adsorbents on the large surface area of the electrospun nanofibers, more adsorption capacity of the nanoparticles can be exploited. Moreover, the strong affinity of the thiol functional groups toward the metal cations, these membranes removed metal contaminants more efficiently. Besides, the Cu(II) removal efficiency of the fabricated membranes didn't show any drastic changes in the presence of the competing ions. Furthermore, acceptable performance was achieved for the prepared membranes even after four adsorption/regeneration cycles in the continuous UF experiments, demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of the prepared adsorptive nanofiber membranes for the removal of heavy metal ions.

Quantification of different microplastic fibres discharged from textiles in machine wash and tumble drying

Microplastic fibres released in synthetic cloth washing have been shown to be a source of microplastics into the environment. The annual emission of polyester fibres from household washing machines has earlier been estimated to be 150,000 kg in a country with a population of 5.5 × 10⁶ (Finland). The objectives of this study were (1) to quantify the emissions of synthetic textile fibres discharged from five sequential machine washes (fibre number and length) and tumble dryings (fibre mass) and (2) to determine the collection efficiency of two commercial fibre traps. The synthetic fabrics were five types of polyester textiles, one polyamide and one polyacryl. The number of fibres released from the test fabrics in the first wash varied in the range from 1.0 × 10⁵ to 6.3 × 10⁶ kg^-1. The fibre lengths showed that the fleece fabrics released, on average, longer fibres than the technical sports t-shirts. The mass of fibres ranged from 10 to 1700 mg/kg w/w in the first drying. Fibre emissions showed a decreasing trend both in sequential washes and dryings. The ratio of the fibre emissions in machine wash to tumble drying varied between the fabrics: the ratio was larger than one to polyester and polyamide technical t-shirts whereas it was much lower to the other tested textiles. GuppyFriend washing bag and Cora Ball trapped 39% and 10% of the polyester fibres discharged in washings, respectively.

Unusual behavior of MgFe2O4 during regeneration: desorption versus specific adsorption

The reusability of spent adsorbents is the most important characteristic for their practical application. The process of MgFe₂O₄ regeneration after methylene blue (MB) adsorption was studied. The effect of the nature (HCl, HNO_3, and MgCl₂) and the concentration (10^-3-10^-1 M) of regeneration agents was established. All the regeneration agents at 10^-3 and 10^-2 M had high efficiency and adsorption capacity recovery reached 80-90%, whereas for 10^-1 M concentration the adsorption efficiency was in the range of 4.5-36.2%. It was shown that the concentration of desorbed MB was much less than what had been previously adsorbed and did not correlate with regeneration efficiency. The unusual behavior of MgFe₂O₄ during regeneration could be due to different mechanisms of regeneration by OH₃ ⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions: (i) for acidic regeneration the main process was the non-specific adsorption of OH₃ ⁺ ions in a diffusion layer and the substitution of adsorbed MB due to electrostatic forces; (ii) in the case of Mg²⁺ as a regeneration agent, there was specific adsorption due to the completion of a crystal lattice of MgFe₂O₄ nanoparticles by Mg²⁺ ions (according to the rules of Fayans-Pannet) with the formation of new Mg-OH adsorption sites and the super-equivalent adsorption of Mg²⁺ ions (according to DLVO (Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek) theory) accompanied by a recharge of the MgFe₂O₄ surface. These phenomena of MgFe₂O₄ regeneration using Mg²⁺ ions must be taken into account in the theory and practice of adsorption.

Differential Mobility Spectrometry of Ketones in Air at Extreme Levels of Moisture

The performance of a differential mobility spectrometer was characterized at ambient pressure and ten values of water vapor concentration, from 1.0 × 102 to 1.7 × 104 ppm using a homologous series of seven ketones from acetone to 2-dodecanone. Dispersion plots at 30 °C with separation fields from 35 to 123 Td exhibited increased alpha functions for the hydrated proton, protonated monomers, and proton bound dimers with increased moisture levels. Increases in the level of moisture were accompanied by decreased quantitative response with progressive suppression in the formation of the proton bound dimer first and then protonated monomer. Product ions for 2-octanone at 7 ppb were not observed above a moisture level of 4.0 × 103 ppm, establishing a limit for observation of analyte ion formation. The observation limit increased from 1.1 × 103 ppm for acetone to 5.7 × 103 ppm for 2-dodecanone. These findings demonstrate that ketones can be determined with a differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) analyzer near room temperature in the presence of elevated levels of moisture expected with the use of membrane inlets or headspace sampling of surface or ground waters. Moisture levels entering this DMS analyzer employed as an environmental monitor should be kept at 1.0 × 103 ppm or below and quantitative studies for individual ketones should be made at a fixed moisture level.

Intercomparison study on commonly used methods to determine microplastics in wastewater and sludge samples

The harmonized procedures in terms of the sampling, sample treatment and identification of microplastics in different environmental samples are missing, which poses challenges to researchers to compare the results or to adopt 'the most effective' monitoring approach. Furthermore, in the related literature, the used procedures are rarely tested with spiked microplastics to predetermine their recovery rates. Without this knowledge, results should only be discussed as rough estimations of the real environmental concentrations of microplastics. In this study, six different methods previously used in microplastic studies of different media were tested with municipal wastewater and digested sludge samples, spiked with seven different types of plastic particles and fibres. Recovery rates, time consumption, advantages and disadvantages were assessed and most suitable treatment procedures (i.e. high recovery rates in short amount of time) were chosen for both wastewater and sludge. Suitability of staining with Rose Bengal was examined together with most efficient methods, but it did not improve the recovery of microplastics. In addition, the possible impacts of the treatments for identification with micro-Raman and FTIR microscope were assessed. Filtration with size fractioning was found to be the best method for both wastewater and sludge samples, with recovery rates of spiked microplastics around 91.4% and 92.9%, respectively.

Occurrence, identification and removal of microplastic particles and fibers in conventional activated sludge process and advanced MBR technology

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are acting as routes of microplastics (MPs) to the environment, hence the urgent need to examine MPs in wastewaters and different types of sludge through sampling campaigns covering extended periods of time. In this study, the efficiency of a municipal WWTP to remove MPs from wastewater was studied by collecting wastewater and sludge samples once in every two weeks during a 3-month sampling campaign. The WWTP was operated based on the conventional activated sludge (CAS) process and a pilot-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR). The microplastic particles and fibers from both water and sludge samples were identified by using an optical microscope, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) microscope and Raman microscope. Overall, the retention capacity of microplastics in the studied WWTP was found to be 98.3%. Most of the MP fraction was removed before the activated sludge process. The efficiency of an advanced membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology was also examined. The main related finding is that MBR permeate contained 0.4 MP/L in comparison with the final effluent of the CAS process (1.0 MP/L). According to this study, both microplastic fibers and particles are discharged from the WWTP to the aquatic environment.

Effect-based assessment of toxicity removal during wastewater treatment

Wastewaters contain complex mixtures of chemicals, which can cause adverse toxic effects in the receiving environment. In the present study, the toxicity removal during wastewater treatment at seven municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) was investigated using an effect-based approach. A battery of eight bioassays was applied comprising of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, endocrine disruption and fish embryo toxicity assays. Human cell-based CALUX assays, transgenic larval models and the fish embryo toxicity test were particularly sensitive to WWTP effluents. The results indicate that most effects were significantly reduced or completely removed during wastewater treatment (76-100%), while embryo toxicity, estrogenic activity and thyroid disruption were still detectable in the effluents suggesting that some harmful substances remain after treatment. The responsiveness of the bioassays was compared and the human cell-based CALUX assays showed highest responsiveness in the samples. Additionally, the fish embryo toxicity test and the transgenic larval models for endocrine disrupting effects showed high responsiveness at low sample concentrations in nearly all of the effluent samples. The results showed a similar effect pattern among all WWTPs investigated, indicating that the wastewater composition could be rather similar at different locations. There were no considerable differences in the toxicity removal efficiencies of the treatment plants and no correlation was observed with WWTP characteristics, such as process configuration or sludge age. This study demonstrated that a biotest battery comprising of multiple endpoints can serve as a powerful tool when assessing water quality or water treatment efficiency in a holistic manner. Rather than analyzing the concentrations of a few selected chemicals, bioassays can be used to complement traditional methods of monitoring in the future by assessing sum-parameter based effects, such as mixture effects, and tackling chemicals that are present at concentrations below chemical analytical detection limits.

Release of polyester and cotton fibers from textiles in machine washings

Microplastics are widely spread in the environment, which along with still increasing production have aroused concern of their impacts on environmental health. The objective of this study is to quantify the number and mass of two most common textile fibers discharged from sequential machine washings to sewers. The number and mass of microfibers released from polyester and cotton textiles in the first wash varied in the range 2.1 × 10⁵ to 1.3 × 10⁷ and 0.12 to 0.33% w/w, respectively. Amounts of released microfibers showed a decreasing trend in sequential washes. The annual emission of polyester and cotton microfibers from household washing machines was estimated to be 154,000 (1.0 × 10¹⁴) and 411,000 kg (4.9 × 10¹⁴) in Finland (population 5.5 × 10⁶). Due to the high emission values and sorption capacities, the polyester and cotton microfibers may play an important role in the transport and fate of chemical pollutants in the aquatic environment.

Kinetic and thermodynamic studies of the Co(II) and Ni(II) ions removal from aqueous solutions by Ca-Mg phosphates

The aim of this work was to study the sorption kinetics and thermodynamics of Co(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous solutions by sorbents on the basis of hydrogen (PD-1) and tertiary (PD-2) Ca-Mg phosphates depending on the solution temperature and sorbents chemical composition. Kinetic studies of adsorption of Co(II) and Ni(II) ions onto samples of phosphate sorbents were performed in batch experiment at the temperatures 288, 303, 318 and 333 K. The sorbent dose was fixed at 10 g L^-1, initial pH value 2.6, and contact time varied from 5 to 600 min. The kinetics of Co(II) and Ni(II) adsorption were analyzed by using pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion models. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS°) for the sorption of Co(II) and Ni(II) were determined using the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation. The calculated kinetic parameters and corresponding correlation coefficients revealed that Co(II) and Ni(II) uptake process followed the pseudo-second order rate expression. Thermodynamic studies confirmed the spontaneous and endothermic nature of removal process which indicate that sorption of Co(II) and Ni(II) ions onto both phosphate sorbents is favoured at higher temperatures and has the chemisorptive mechanism. The data thus obtained would be useful for practical application of the low cost and highly effective Ca-Mg phosphate sorbents.

Influences of water properties on the aggregation and deposition of engineered titanium dioxide nanoparticles in natural waters

With the increasing usage of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (NPs), their release into the environment makes it important to understand their transport, fate and behaviour in natural waters. In this study, aggregation and deposition of TiO₂ NPs were studied during a 3-h period by using a dynamic light scattering instrument and a UV-vis spectrophotometer, respectively. TiO₂ NPs were spiked in 34 lake and 5 brackish water samples at an initial concentration of 10 mg L^-1. Depending on the physicochemical properties of the natural waters, TiO₂ NPs exhibited different colloidal stability. In brackish waters with high salinity, TiO₂ NPs were prone to aggregate and settled rapidly. Whereas under conditions of humic and humus-poor lake waters, TiO₂ NPs were suspended in water column for a longer time without remarkable change in particle size and concentration. Deposition likely occurred in nutrient-rich lakes which had high amount of nitrogen and phosphorus accompanied by high values of conductivity, alkalinity, pH and turbidity. Linear regression analysis revealed the statistically significant relationships (p ≤ 0.008) between the TiO₂ NPs stability and these water properties. Our study makes a better understanding of the water properties that control the aggregation and deposition of TiO₂ NPs in complex natural waters.

Long-term outcome of medically treated epilepsy

PURPOSE

To review the long-term outcome of epilepsy in population-based studies.

METHOD

Analysis of population-based studies.

RESULTS

About two of three patients with new-onset epilepsy will, in the long run, enter five-year terminal remission. Chances for remission are best for those with idiopathic or cryptogenic epilepsy. It is unclear whether the seizure outcome has improved over the last several decades. Social outcome, however, may have become better because of the improved level of knowledge on and public attitudes toward people with epilepsy, and possibly fewer prejudices at home, daycare, school, military and labor market.

CONCLUSION

While we still do not have a cure for epilepsy for all patients, relief of the medical and social consequences is available for many and hope is on the horizon for people with epilepsy.

Stability of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide as a spin-trap for quantification of hydroxyl radicals in processes based on Fenton reaction

Fenton reaction was used to produce hydroxyl radicals under conditions similar to AOPs with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) as a spin trap agent in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis. A theoretical kinetics model was developed to determine conditions under which the spin-adduct DMPO-OH is not further oxidized by Fe(3+) and excessive radicals, so that hydroxyl radicals concentration could be accurately inferred. Experiments were designed based upon the model and H2O2 and Fe(2+) concentrations were varied from 1 to 100 mM and from 0.1 to 10 mM, respectively, with a constant H2O2: Fe(2+) ratio of 10:1. Results confirmed that DMPO concentration should be at least 20 times higher than the concentration of H2O2 and 200 times higher than iron concentration to produce stable DMPO-OH EPR signal. When DMPO: H2O2 ratio varied from 1 to 10, DMPO-OH could generate intermediates and be further oxidized leading to the apparition of an additional triplet. This signal was attributed to a paramagnetic dimer: its structure and a formation mechanism were proposed. Finally, the utilization of sodium sulfite and catalase to terminate Fenton reaction was discussed. Catalase appeared to be compatible with DMPO. However, sodium sulfite should be avoided since it reacted with DMPO-OH to form DMPO-SO3.

Headache Children with Temporomandibular Disorders have Several Types of Pain and other Symptoms

The aim was to investigate the association between temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and overall muscle tenderness, depressive symptoms, sleep difficulties, headache frequency and related symptoms in children with primary headache in comparison with controls. Based on an unselected population sample of 1135 Finnish schoolchildren classified according to the type of headache at age 12, altogether 297 children aged 13-14 from different headache groups and healthy controls were randomly selected for an interview and clinical examinations. Children with migraine had more TMD signs than children with nonmigrainous headaches or healthy controls. High TMD total scores were associated with palpation tenderness in other parts of the body and with frequent headache attacks. We conclude that children with overall headache, migraine in particular, and high total TMD scores showed an increased overall tenderness to muscle palpation and multiply manifested hypersensitivity pain.

Outcome of Headache Frequency in Adolescence

Only a few studies have been published of the outcome of adolescent headache (HA). The aim of this study was to examine the predictors of the outcome of headache frequency. A population-based sample of 13-year-olds with or without HA ( N = 228) was followed to the age of 16 years. HA was classified on the basis of a face-to-face interview and clinical examination. The outcomes of monthly HA (>1/month) and non-frequent HA (0-1/month) were studied. Frequent use of analgesics, female gender and multiple non-headache pain predicted the persistence of monthly HA (>1/month). Significant predictors for worsening non-frequent HA (from 0 to 1/month to >1/month) were female gender, consistent migraine and high basic educational level of one parent. Adolescents frequently using analgesics constitute a risk group for a poor outcome of HA. Especially girls meeting this criterion should be considered a target group in the planning and implementing of preventive measures.

Changing Headache from Preschool Age to Puberty. A Controlled Study

The characteristics of disturbing primary headache and the occurrence of headache types were studied by sending a questionnaire to 1132 Finnish families of 6-year-old children. Children with headache in the preceding 6 months and their controls were clinically examined at the ages of 6 and 13. During the follow-up, half of the headaches, classified as migraine at age 6 years, were unchanged and 32% turned into tension-type headache. In children with tension-type headache, the situation was unchanged in 35%, and in 38% of children the headache type had changed to migraine. At preschool age the most common location of headache was bilateral and supraorbital, and at puberty bilateral and temporal. During the follow-up, symptoms concurrent with headache, such as odour phobia, dizziness and balance disturbances became more typical, whereas restlessness, flushing and abdominal symptoms became less marked. The early manifestation of both migraine and tension-type headache predict equally often migraine in puberty with marked changes in concurrent symptoms and pain localization.

Characteristics of Neck Pain Associated With Adolescent Headache

The objective of the study was to find out what kind of neck pain (NP) is associated with headache (HA) and with various headache variables: frequency, type, intensity, disturbance, and relief with analgesics. A population-based sample of 12-year-olds with and without HA ( n = 304) was followed for 4 years. At the age of 16 years, NP was evaluated on the basis of self-reported symptoms and a thorough physical examination of the neck region. Both self-reported and measured NP were associated with HA variables. Co-occurrent NP was found in adolescents with migraine as often as in those with tension-type HA. Especially, muscle pain and intensive, frequent NP were associated with disturbing HA unresponsive to analgesics. The study indicates that concomitant NP should be considered in adolescent HA sufferers, and a thorough cervical and muscle evaluation is recommended when planning the treatment of HA.

Maternal smoking during pregnancy and offpsring's psychiatric morbidity in early adulthood. Findings from the Finnish Family Competence Birth Cohort Study

Introduction

Prenatal smoking exposure is one of the most common insults during the fetal period prevalence varying from 5 to 19% in the European countries [1].

Objectives

Prenatal smoking exposure increases the risk of psychiatric morbidity in the offspring, externalizing disorders in particular. However, less is known whether maternal smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for anxiety disorders [1].

Aims

To study the associations between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring psychiatric morbidity in early adulthood in a Finnish birth cohort study.

Methods

A prospective data collection from 10th gestational week (GW10) to early adulthood (n = 475, 37% from the original sample). Information on self-reported smoking during pregnancy was collected using questionnaires at GW10 and GW28. Offspring psychiatric diagnoses and clinically relevant symptoms were assessed using Development and Well-being Assessment (DAWBA)-interviews at age 18 to 20 years. Information on parental alcohol use, depressive mood, anxiety, and education level, as well as offspring's gender, education level, and birth weight were used as covariates.

Results

Maternal smoking during pregnancy associated independently associated with PTSD (OR = 6.9, 95% CI 1.3–35.6, P = 0.021), and conduct disorder (OR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.02–6.9, P = 0.046) in a multivariate analysis after adjusting for other psychiatric diagnoses, offspring and parental variables (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 0.5–6.9, P = 0.359).

Conclusions

In addition to conduct problems, prenatal nicotine exposure may increase the offspring's risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This relationship may be explained, in part, by effects on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and uteroplacental mechanisms [1].

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Estrogenic activity in Finnish municipal wastewater effluents

Effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a major source of estrogenic compounds to the aquatic environment. In the present work, estrogenic activities of effluents from eight municipal WWTPs in Finland were studied. The main objectives of the study were to quantify the concentrations of selected estrogenic compounds, to evaluate their contribution to estrogenic potency and to test the feasibility of the commercial bioassays for wastewater analysis. The effluent samples were analyzed by two in vitro tests, i.e. ERα-CALUX(®) and ELISA-E2, and by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry for six estrogenic compounds: estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), 17α-estradiol and bisphenol A (BPA). Estrogenic effects were found in all of the effluent samples with both of the bioassays. The concentrations measured with ELISA-E2 (8.6-61.6 ng/L) were clearly higher but exhibited a similar pattern than those with chemical analysis (E2 <limit of quantification - 6.8 ng/L) and ERα-CALUX(®) (0.8-29.7 ng E2 EEQ/L). Due to the concentrations under limit of quantification, the evaluation of the chemical contribution to estrogenic potency was possible only for E1 and BPA, which contributed less than 10% to the observed effects, except in one sample with a high BPA contribution (17%). The contribution of E2 was significant in two samples where it was detected (28% and 67%). The results demonstrated that more comprehensive information on potential estrogenic activity of wastewater effluents can be achieved by using in vitro biotests in addition to chemical analysis and their use would be beneficial in monitoring and screening purposes.

Chemical and microbial components of urban air PM cause seasonal variation of toxicological activity

The chemical and microbial composition of urban air particulate matter (PM) displays seasonal variation that may affect its harmfulness on human health. We studied the in vitro inflammatory and cellular metabolic activity/cytotoxicity of urban air particulate samples collected in four size-ranges (PM10-2.5, PM2.5-1, PM1-0.2, PM0.2) during four seasons in relatively clean urban environment in Helsinki, Finland. The composition of the same samples were analyzed, including ions, elements, PAH compounds and endotoxins. In addition, microbial contribution on the detected responses was studied by inhibiting the endotoxin-induced responses with Polymyxin B both in the PM samples and by two different bacterial strains representing Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. Macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) was exposed to the size segregated particulate samples as well as to microbe samples for 24h and markers of inflammation and cytotoxicity were analyzed. The toxicological responses were dependent on the dose as well as size range of the particles, PM10-2.5 being the most potent and smaller size ranges having significantly smaller responses. Samples collected during spring and autumn had in most cases the highest inflammatory activity. Soil components and other non-exhaust particulate emissions from road traffic correlated with inflammatory responses in coarse particles. Instead, PAH-compounds and K(+) had negative associations with the particle-induced inflammatory responses in fine particles, suggesting the role of incomplete biomass combustion. Endotoxin content was the highest in PM10-2.5 samples and correspondingly, the largest decrease in the responses by Polymyxin B was seen with the very same samples. We found also that inhibitory effect of Polymyxin B was not completely specific for Gram-negative bacteria. Thus, in addition to endotoxin, also other microbial components may have a significant effect on the toxicological responses by ambient particulate matter.

Post-treatment of biologically treated wastewater containing organic contaminants using a sequence of H2O2 based advanced oxidation processes: photolysis and catalytic wet oxidation

In this paper the feasibility of a multi-barrier treatment (MBT) for the regeneration of synthetic industrial wastewater (SIWW) was evaluated. Industrial pollutants (orange II, phenol, 4-chlorophenol and phenanthrene) were added to the effluent of municipal wastewater treatment plant. The proposed MBT begins with a microfiltration membrane pretreatment (MF), followed by hydrogen peroxide photolysis (H2O2/UVC) and finishing, as a polishing step, with catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) using granular activated carbon (GAC) at ambient conditions. During the microfiltration step (0.7 μm) the decrease of suspended solids concentration, turbidity and Escherichia coli in treated water were 88, 94 and 99%, respectively. Also, the effluent's transmittance (254 nm) was increased by 14.7%. Removal of more than 99.9% of all added pollutants, mineralization of 63% of organic compounds and complete disinfection of total coliforms were reached during the H2O2/UVC treatment step (H2O2:TOC w/w ratio = 5 and an UVC average dose accumulated by wastewater 8.80 WUVC s cm(-2)). The power and efficiency of the lamp, the water transmittance and photoreactor geometry are taken into account and a new equation to estimate the accumulated dose in water is suggested. Remaining organic pollutants with a higher oxidation state of carbon atoms (+0.47) and toxic concentration of residual H2O2 were present in the effluent of the H2O2/UVC process. After 2.3 min of contact time with GAC at CWPO step, 90 and 100% of total organic carbon and residual H2O2 were removed, respectively. Also, the wastewater toxicity was studied using Vibrio fischeri and Sparus aurata larvae. The MBT operational and maintenance costs (O&M) was estimated to be 0.59 € m(-3).

Pore structure and sorption characterization of titanosilicates obtained from concentrated precursors by the sol–gel method

Our novel titanosilicate sol–gel synthesis yielded effective sorption materials for Sr²⁺ and Cs⁺ decontamination from polluted ground and waste water.

Neonatal eating epilepsy: 50-year follow-up

PURPOSE

We present a case of neonatal eating epilepsy.

METHOD

Case report.

RESULTS

An otherwise healthy female newborn started having epileptic seizures lasting up to 5 minutes induced by breastfeeding at age of 2 weeks. The convulsive seizure started with crying and coughing followed by opisthotonus, flexion of upper extremities, extension of lower extremities, and generalized jerks in extremities. The patient had fairly often postictal vomitings which could not be relieved by upright positioning. At baseline clinical examination, no abnormal symptoms or signs were found except for a postictal hoarseness. On the day of admission to the tertiary care hospital, during 1.5 hours, she had 10 attacks. Though some attacks were spontaneous and during sleep, most were induced by feeding or--less often and inconsistently--by manipulating the pharynx. Phenobarbital 15 mg four times a day stopped the attacks. The last seizure was documented 14 days after admission and phenobarbital was eventually withdrawn. The patient remained seizure free off AEDs during a prospective follow-up for over 50 years until 2013.

CONCLUSIONS

Neonatal eating epilepsy may be a suitable diagnosis if convulsive seizures are precipitated by feeding or eating. Polygraphic recording will help ascertain the diagnosis. Antiepileptic therapy is likely to abolish seizures.

Behavior of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in Lemna minor growth test conditions

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO(2) NPs) have raised concern of environmental risks due to their widespread applications, but little is known about the potential toxicity of TiO(2) NPs to aquatic plants. The aim of this work was to study the effects of TiO(2) NPs on Lemna minor and to study the behavior of TiO(2) NPs under modified ISO 20079 test conditions. TiO(2) NPs had a tendency to aggregate in ISO (Steinberg) growth medium, but modification of the standard growth medium enabled the exposure of L. minor to TiO(2) NPs. By dilution of the growth medium (1:10), and exposure under semi-static conditions with medium renewal every second or third day, the size of TiO(2) particles remained rather stable throughout the test period. TiO(2) NPs showed no adverse effect on the growth rate or chlorophyll a content of L. minor, even at a high exposure concentration of 5 mg L(-1) and extended exposure time of 14 days. TiO(2) NPs attached onto L. minor cell walls, but no cellular uptake was observed. Although TiO(2) NPs were not toxic to L. minor, the potential transfer of TiO(2) NPs in aquatic food chains, e.g. attached to the plant leaves and other biological surfaces may be of importance, causing exposure of other organisms and contributing to the environmental fate of nanoparticles.

Sense of coherence and health behaviour in adolescence

AIM

To explore associations of Sense of coherence (SOC) with health behaviour and social competence among 15-year-old adolescents.

METHODS

Study population is a prospective cohort of a randomized cluster sample of families and their first-born children from south-western Finland in 1986-1987. In this study, cross-sectional data of the 15-year-olds were used. The present data were based on mailed, pretested questionnaires. The outcome variable, SOC, was based on the 13-item scale of Antonovsky's Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ). The principal explanatory variables were health behaviour, including experienced oral health, and social competence. The statistical analysis was performed using linear regression modelling.

RESULTS

Strong SOC of adolescents associated significantly with lighter use of alcohol, being a non-smoker, better care of oral health and better social competence compared with the others.

CONCLUSION

Sense of coherence is a useful tool for identifying adolescents in need of extra support and motivation for their health behaviour.

Chemical composition of fine particles in fresh smoke plumes from boreal wild-land fires in Europe

A series of smoke plumes was detected in Helsinki, Finland, during a one-month-lasting period in August 2006. The smoke plumes originated from wildfires close to Finland, and they were short-term and had a high particulate matter (PM) concentration. Physical and chemical properties of fine particles in those smokes were characterised by a wide range of real-time measurements that enabled the examination of individual plume events. Concurrently PM(1) filter samples were collected and analysed off-line. Satellite observations employing MODIS sensor on board of NASA EOS Terra satellite with the dispersion model SILAM and the Fire Assimilation System were used for evaluation of the emission fluxes from wildfires. The model predicted well the timing of the plumes but the predicted PM concentrations differed from the observed. The measurements showed that the major growth in PM concentration was caused by submicrometer particles consisting mainly of particulate organic matter (POM). POM had not totally oxidised during the transport based on the low WSOC-to-OC ratio. The fresh plumes were compared to another major smoke episode that was observed in Helsinki during April-May 2006. The duration and the source areas of the two episode periods differed. The episode in April-May was a period of nearly constantly upraised level of long-range transported PM and it was composed of aged particles when arriving in Helsinki. The two episodes had differences also in the chemical composition of PM. The mass concentrations of biomass burning tracers (levoglucosan, potassium, and oxalate) increased during both the episodes but different concentration levels of elemental carbon and potassium indicated that the episodes differed in the form of burning as well as in the burning material. In spring dry crop residue and hay from the previous season were burnt whereas in August smokes from smouldering and incomplete burning of fresh vegetation were detected.

Seasonal variation in chemical composition of size-segregated urban air particles and the inflammatory activity in the mouse lung

We investigated the seasonal variations in the chemical composition and in vivo inflammatory activity of urban air particulate samples in four size ranges (PM(10-2.5), PM(2.5-1), PM(1-0.2), and PM(0.2)). The samples were collected in Helsinki using a high-volume cascade impactor (HVCI). Healthy C57BL/6J mice were intratracheally instilled with a single dose (10 mg/kg) of the particulate samples. The lungs were lavaged and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was assayed for indicators of inflammation and tissue damage: cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha, interleukin [IL]-6, and keratinocyte-derived chemokine [KC]) at 4 h, and total cell number and total protein concentration at 12 h. The PM(10-2.5) and PM(2.5-1) samples had much higher inflammatory potency than the PM(1-0.2) and PM(0.2) samples. The relative inflammatory activities of the autumn samples were the highest on an equal mass basis, but when estimated for the particulate mass per cubic meter of air, the springtime samples had the highest inflammatory potential. Resuspended soil material and other non-exhaust particulate material from traffic were associated with a high inflammatory activity of the PM(10-2.5) and PM(2.5-1) samples. Secondary inorganic ions in the PM(1-0.2) and PM(0.2) samples had inconsistent negative or positive correlations with the inflammatory activity. There were no systematic seasonal variations in the tracers of incomplete combustion and atmospherically oxidized organics in the PM(1-0.2) and PM(0.2) samples, which probably explains their low correlations with the inflammatory activity. In conclusion, in a relatively clean Nordic city, the resuspension of road dust and other non-exhaust particulate material from traffic were the major sources of inflammatory activity of urban air inhalable particles.

Associations of urban air particulate composition with inflammatory and cytotoxic responses in RAW 246.7 cell line

Epidemiological studies show heterogeneities in the particulate pollution-related exposure-effect relationships among cardiorespiratory patients, but the connection to chemical composition and toxic properties of the inhaled particles is largely unknown. To identify the chemical constituents and sources responsible for the diverse inflammatory and cytotoxic effects of urban air, fine (PM(2.5-0.2)) and coarse (PM(10-2.5)) particulate samples were collected during contrasting air pollution situations. We exposed mouse RAW 246.7 macrophages for 24 hrs to PM(2.5-0.2) and PM(10-2.5) samples from six European cities. The concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNFalpha), chemokine (MIP-2), and nitric oxide were measured from the cell culture medium, and the cytotoxicity was assayed. Spearman's correlations between the chemical constituents and cellular responses were analyzed. In the PM(2.5-0.2) size range, the tracers of photo-oxidation of organics in the atmosphere (oxalate, succinate, malonate), some transition metals (Ni, V, Fe, Cu, Cr), and insoluble soil constituents (Ca, Al, Fe, Si) correlated positively with the response parameters. In contrast, the tracers of incomplete biomass (monosaccharide anhydrides) and coal (As) combustion, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), had negative correlations with the inflammatory activity. The compositions of PM(10-2.5) samples were more uniform and there were only occasional high correlations between the chemical constituents, endotoxin, and the response parameters. The present results suggest that the local sources of incomplete combustion and resuspended road dust are important producers of harmful fine particulate constituents that may, however, operate via diverse toxicity mechanisms. The results agree well with our recent findings in the mouse lung.

As(V) adsorption on maghemite nanoparticles

In this study a novel adsorbent, maghemite nanoparticles (gamma-Fe(2)O(3)), is used for As(V) removal. Maghemite nanoparticles are an exceptional adsorbent material due to its magnetic properties and a good adsorption capacity. The aims of the study were to investigate the suitability of maghemite nanoparticles for As(V) adsorption and to compare properties of different maghemites and their As(V) adsorption efficiency. Maghemite nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, XPS, TEM, VSM, BET and Zeta potential analyzers. Size of the particles varied from 3.8 to 18.4 nm. Adsorption experiments were carried out with three different kinds of maghemite nanoparticles: (i) commercially available, (ii) homemade with mechanochemical method and (iii) homemade with sol-gel process. All three different kinds of maghemite nanoparticles were successful in removing As(V) from water, one of them reached as high adsorption capacity as 50mg/g.

Dental fear: one single clinical question for measurement

A new dental fear measurement instrument, the Short Dental Fear Question (SDFQ), was developed and tested for clinical practice purposes. The correlations of the SDFQ with the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and the Dental Fear Survey (DFS) were tested in 15-16-year-old adolescents. The Spearman correlations (rs) between the dental fear measurement instruments were: SDFQ – DFS: r_s = 0.79, n = 26; DFS – DAS: r_s = 0.72, n = 26; SDFQ– DAS: r_s = 0.69, n = 27. DAS and DFS mean scores were clearly higher in the SDFQ fear group than SDFQ in the relaxed group. The SDFQ is a short and compact instrument which might be convenient for the measurement of dental fear in clinical practice.

Particle induced toxicity in relation to transition metal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contents

Exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) is statistically significantly associated with morbidity and mortality. The objectives of this study were (a) to investigate in vivo pulmonary and systemic cytotoxicity and inflammatory activity in compromised animals exposed to PM and (b) to investigate the relationships of the outcomes to the chemical compositions of particular polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and transition metals in the PM. The PM samples were collected in European cities representing contrasting situations. Exposure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (7 mg of PM/kg) resulted in pulmonary inflammation, cellular toxicity and the induction of blood fibrinogen. Coarse PM generally caused stronger effects per mg than fine particles. Positive correlations between lactate dehydrogenase, proteins, and some inflammation parameters and the particle metal and PAH content were found. PM rich in PAH also led to increased blood fibrinogen. Removal of particles but not the organics (i.e., PAH) of a sample led to reduced inflammation in the lungs. The present study highlights the importance of metals as well as PM-bound PAH in particle biological outcomes. It supports the hypothesis that, on an equal mass basis, particle health effects differ due to differences in compositions and size.

Changes of panorama in renal disease mortality in Finland after phenacetin restriction

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of phenacetin consumption and its restriction on the mortality from nephropathy. Changes in this mortality in Finland during 1951-77 were investigated. The second part of the study was concerned with the frequency of papillary necrosis in cases autopsied in the Department of Medicine, Turku University Central Hospital, during 1952-79. These figures were studied in relation to increased phenacetin consumption after World War II, its restriction in 1962 and its complete banning in 1965. Both the epidemiologic survey of the mortality from nephropathy in Finland and the autopsies showed a clear and strong correlation both with increased phenacetin consumption and with its discontinuation. The banning of phenacetin led within 2-4 years to a decline in the mortality from nephropathy to its pre-phenacetin level.

Increased biogas production at wastewater treatment plants through co-digestion of sewage sludge with grease trap sludge from a meat processing plant

The feasibility of co-digesting grease trap sludge from a meat-processing plant and sewage sludge was studied in batch and reactor experiments at 35 degrees C. Grease trap sludge had high methane production potential (918 m(3)/tVS(added)), but methane production started slowly. When mixed with sewage sludge, methane production started immediately and the potential increased with increasing grease trap sludge content. Semi-continuous co-digestion of the two materials was found feasible up to grease trap sludge addition of 46% of feed volatile solids (hydraulic retention time 16d; maximum organic loading rate 3.46 kgVS/m(3)d). Methane production was significantly higher and no effect on the characteristics of the digested material was noticed as compared to digesting sewage sludge alone. At higher grease trap sludge additions (55% and 71% of feed volatile solids), degradation was not complete and methane production either remained the same or decreased.

Field evaluation of a new particle concentrator- electrostatic precipitator system for measuring chemical and toxicological properties of particulate matter

BACKGROUND

A newly designed electrostatic precipitator (ESP) in tandem with Versatile Aerosol Concentration Enrichment System (VACES) was developed by the University of Southern California to collect ambient aerosols on substrates appropriate for chemical and toxicological analysis. The laboratory evaluation of this sampler is described in a previous paper. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the new VACES-ESP system in the field by comparing the chemical characteristics of the PM collected in the ESP to those of reference samplers operating in parallel.

RESULTS

The field campaign was carried out in the period from August, 2007 to March, 2008 in a typical urban environment near downtown Los Angeles. Each sampling set was restricted to 2-3 hours to minimize possible sampling artifacts in the ESP. The results showed that particle penetration increases and ozone concentration decreases with increasing sampling flow rate, with highest particle penetration observed between 100 nm and 300 nm. A reference filter sampler was deployed in parallel to the ESP to collect concentration-enriched aerosols, and a MOUDI sampler was used to collect ambient aerosols. Chemical analysis results showed very good agreement between the ESP and MOUDI samplers in the concentrations of trace elements and inorganic ions. The overall organic compound content of PM collected by the ESP, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), hopanes, steranes, and alkanes, was in good agreement with that of the reference sampler, with an average ESP -to -reference concentration ratio of 1.07 (+/- 0.38). While majority of organic compound ratios were close to 1, some of the semi-volatile organic species had slightly deviated ratios from 1, indicating the possibility of some sampling artifacts in the ESP due to reactions of PM with ozone and radicals generated from corona discharge, although positive and negative sampling artifacts in the reference filter sampler cannot be ruled out.

CONCLUSION

The very good overall agreement between ESP and reference samplers makes it an attractive alternative to filters and biosamplers for chemical and toxicological evaluation of PM properties, including the possibility of conducting direct in vitro cell exposures. Moreover, the concentration enrichment of ambient aerosols by the VACES allows for short-term exposure studies, which preserve cell viability and enable studies to PM generated from specific sources and-or formation mechanisms in the atmosphere.